An Early Look at the 2026 BYU Linebacker Room

The Cougars add a pair of experienced transfers alongside two veteran starters

BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker against Stanford | BYU Photo

For the first time since the transfer portal was started, we can start to project what BYU's roster as early as January. While BYU could still add a few players that entered the portal when it was open, most of BYU's roster is set.

In this article, we're taking a way-too-early look at the 2026 BYU linebacker room.

Before we get started, there are two important notes:

1. We don't know for sure who redshirted in 2025, so we assumed everyone would be one class older than they were in 2025
2. Not all returned missionaries will be on the roster; to avoid speculating on which missionaries will be invited to be on the roster and which will be asked to grayshirt, we assumed all returned missionaries would be on the roster

Newcomers will be marked with a note on their paths to BYU.

Without further ado, here is BYU's projected linebacker room for the 2026 season.

BYU's Projected Linebacker Room

• Isaiah Glasker - Senior
• Ace Kaufusi - Junior
• Miles Hall - Junior
• Pierson Watson - Sophomore
• Maika Kaufusi - Junior
• Tyler Payne - Sophomore
• Naki Tuakoi - Sophomore
• Ephraim Asiata - Junior
• Berkley Alfrey - Sophomore
• Siale Esera - Junior
• Cade Uluave - Senior (Incoming Transfer)
• Jake Clifton - Junior (Incoming Transfer)
• Owen Borg - Freshman (Returned Missionary)
• Blake Lowe - Freshman (Returned Missionary)

Like the offensive line, the linebackers feature a nice blend of returning starters and promising newcomers. Cade Uluave will slide right into the starting lineup along with returning starters Isaiah Glasker and Siale Esera. Those will be the three starters in 2026.

The Cougars also add an experienced transfer in former Kansas State linebacker Jake Clifton. Clifton was a starter for the Wildcats before leaving to serve a mission. He returned from his mission last October.

BYU's Projected Quarterback Room

• Bear Bachmeier - Sophomore
• Treyson Bourguet - Senior
• Cole Hagen - Junior
• Enoch Watson - Freshman (Returned Missionary)

Bear Bachmeier returns in 2026 as one of the faces of the program. The California native had a breakout season as a true freshman and was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. If BYU is going to take the next step and become a College Football Playoff team, the Cougars will need Bachmeier to take that next step as well.

Bear Bachmeier will go into the 2026 season as one of the top quarterbacks in the Big 12.

Only three scholarsip quarterbacks are currently scheduled to be on the roster. The Cougars had been looking to add one more backup quarterback from the transfer portal, but as of this article, BYU has not added another quarterback.